Awww-- poor kid, and poor parents!! It sounds like he's really having trouble with emotional regulation.
I agree with the others-- IEP = GOOD THING here.
Therapeutic interventions might well be a way to NOT have to just "suffer through" the problem until it naturally self-resolves. After all, by that time, he may well have gained a behavioral reputation even if he doesn't have an official "LABEL."
Besides, if the behavior slowly escalates in some fashion, it will be difficult for parents to detect just when things cross some line into disordered conduct. Earlier help with this problem seems like a good idea to me. {{hugs}} to them, though-- it's so hard to watch a good kid have problems like this.
I understand their fear about meds-meds-meds, but if they choose to approach things from a behavioral modification standpoint with a THERAPIST/counselor rather than a psychiatrist, then that should be more of a last-resort kind of thing. And unless he's truly a danger to others, I can't envision how anyone could force medication that parents didn't agree to.
